stephbtu's reviews

My husband and I honeymooned in Maine - in the winter. Being from the south we wanted snow, fires in the fireplace, and a cozy romantic atmosphere. Bear Mountain Inn delivered on all of that!!! We stayed in their Sugar Bear Cottage - separate from the main house - a one room cottage that included a charming old-fashioned bathroom repleat with iron claw-foot tub, a COMFY bed, a fireplace, and a well-equipped kitchenette.

Breakfast was served every morning at the inn and was always hardy and delicious. There was plenty to do at the inn (including but not limited to sledding, a game room, and snow shoeing) and locally there was both slalom and XC skiing. The inn served a gourmet meal for New Year's Eve dinner. The staff was very kind, and the owner Jim made us feel right at home. We can't wait to go back and experience the inn during all seasons!

My fiance purchased my engagement ring from Classic Galleries in Athens GA. It is PERFECT. Exactly what I wanted. The owner helped my fiance pick the perfect ring based on what I had already told him. I knew I wanted an antique style ring, and, not one for status symbols, didn't really need a diamond and certainly didn't want a large gaudy stone. The jeweler helped my fiance pick a ring from the era I wanted (Edwardian) and explained to him the reasons why diamonds are used in engagement rings (reasons even I wasn't aware of). Knowing what we know now regarding the durability of diamonds, I am so glad my fiance was talked into it rather than going with what I thought I knew. The jeweler also helped him pick an appropriately sized stone for my ring that isn't gauche but looks really good with the setting. I highly recommend Classic Galleries, particularly if you are looking for something unique for your loved one.

My husband and I both had very specific desires for our wedding rings. We looked online and found some very expensive rings that we liked. We took them to Guven's near the Mall of Georgia and Mr. Guven was able to make us exactly what we wanted for a fraction of the "designer" price. We are both thrilled with our wedding bands! We were also extremely impressed with the wide selection of jewelry and watches. For the men - he has an incredible selection of engagement rings! Truly and exceptional jeweler and one that we will continue to use in the future. I highly recommend Guven's.

We didn't have too many flowers as we had a Christmas wedding and centerpieces were Christmas themed with holly, evergreens, and such. However, I did have a bouquet, corsages, and boutonnières. They were GORGEOUS. The only reason I gave Flower Talk 3 stars rather than 4 or 5 was because they didn't really seem to have much experience with weddings when I came to see them. Quite frankly, they were the only flower vendor open past noon on a Saturday in Duluth, GA (one very big plus!) and we were running out of time to order flowers. The lady that helped us was nice, but didn't have many suggestions and simply handed us catalogs to look through. I did find the perfect bouquet in a catalog and everything looked really nice, but I did get the feeling that if I had wanted a larger order of flowers, they might not have been able to handle it. For smaller orders, proms, homecoming, etc. I would absolutely recommend, but maybe not for larger events such as weddings.

INCREDIBLE cupcakes and service. Tiffany was extremely helpful every step of the way, their prices were very reasonable, and the cupcakes were gourmet! We selected 4 flavors, chocolate/peanut butter, chocolate/peppermint, chocolate/chocolate, and chocolate/vanilla. They were on time with delivery, easy to communicate with, and everyone was thrilled with our "non-traditional" wedding dessert.

I highly recommend the Atlanta Cupcake Factory for any party, gathering, or celebration.

We rented the Duluth Festival Center in downtown Duluth. It was decorated beautifully for Christmas, as was the park. The staff was incredibly helpful and Janice (in charge of the site) had everything in hand. We really appreciated all of her help and knowledge. I would definitely recommend this venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Jennifer is a friend of the family and does weddings "on the side." Her work is good enough to do full time. She's amazing and particularly good with candids. I would recommend her to any bride and groom. She is very sweet, listens to what you want and totally delivers on the artistry of the photos.

We had Glorious Events create a "heavy hors d'oeuvre" menu. We also had their gourmet coffee, wine and martini glasses provided, and ice and tubs for our beverages. They were STELLAR. Every step of the way, Diana Harris - in charge of my event - was there for me. The staff was extremely professional and the food was INCREDIBLE! I highly recommend the mashed potato bar - mashed potatoes served in martini glasses with choice of topping, beef, curried chicken, and a vegetarian. It was all presented beautifully, and they helped make for a carefree reception.

My husband and I were lucky - he is already owns a tux, however, he did want to "change it up" a bit and add some color. I purchased my dress from Davids Bridal and had an apple red sash. We were able to find a very sophisticated and reasonably priced vest and tie that matched my colors at Mens Warehouse Tux. We were able to pick up the vest and tie a couple days before the wedding. The only inconvenience is the fact that we had to return the vest and tie the day after the wedding. Two days would have been nice - we had family make the return and knowing how tired we were after the wedding we felt really bad having to make family run errands the day after. Overall, reasonable prices and a broad selection.

I was surprised when going back over other online reviews of Davids Bridal. Brides seemed to lower their reviews because Davids did not provide the same service as smaller boutique or couture wedding dress vendors. The reality is, Davids Bridal is a high volume dealer of wedding dresses. If you go into the store understanding that you will pay MUCH less for your dress than you might going to a high end boutique, and you get what you pay for in service, than your experience will be fine. I had a wonderful sales girl helping me. I found a dress that was almost exactly like a high end designer's that I really liked. It was PERFECT. The sales staff was very helpful, the prices were extremely reasonable, and overall I was extremely satisfied. Do be aware that they do charge an arm and a leg for their accessories (shoes, tiaras, etc.). You will do MUCH better to go elsewhere for accessories. All-in-all Davids Bridal is wonderful for those of us who cannot afford a platinum wedding. Just go into the store with realistic expectations.